One year after he stepped down as manager of the Cleveland Guardians, Terry Francona is back in baseball.

News broke late on Oct. 3 that the Cincinnati Reds have hired Francona as their new manager, per MLB insider Mark Feinsand. The Reds made it official on Friday morning and inked the skipper to a three-year deal.

Cincinnati on Sept. 22 fired its former manager David Bell, who signed an extension in the middle of the 2023 season. The Reds posted a 77-85 record but expected to be bigger players in the National League Central with their talented, electric young core that features Elly De La Cruz.

MLB insider Bob Nightengale proposed former Cubs manager David Ross and recently dismissed Marlins skipper Skip Schumaker as the top candidates for the Reds’ vacancy. But Cincinnati shocked the baseball world with a surprising, and likely expensive choice for one of the lowest-budget clubs in the league.

Beloved former Red Sox manager Terry Francona returns to baseball as Reds skipper

Francona is an excellent choice for a Reds club looking to break out in a competitive division. Tito has a 23-year managerial career under his belt — it began with four years in the Phillies organization from 1997-2000, then he helped bring a World Series back to the Boston Red Sox organization in 2004 after an 86-year championship drought.

Francona followed his eight-year stint as Boston’s manager with 11 years in Cleveland. The Guardians claimed the American League pennant in 2016 before they lost to the Cubs in the World Series, which snapped another legendary championship drought.

Tito is beloved among Red Sox fans after he managed the club to two World Series and a .574 winning percentage in his eight years with Boston. He stepped away from baseball after the 2023 season to tend to his health, and it’s great to see him well enough to manage again. Francona should bring the baseball know-how and attitude the Reds need to contend in the NL Central.